Electrical distribution system



Aug. 22, 1939. A w, FRANK 2,170,298

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBQTICN SYSI'EI I Original Filed Nov. 16, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY A f A'iTORNEY.

Aug. 22, 1939. w. H. FRANK ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSI'EI 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 16, 1936 6 Mr m N 4: 2 0 n 4 (U a Mn! 2 I -lllllll|il INVENTOR.

JW /Z%'RONEY.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 VENT ORQ W. H. FRANK ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION sYsTEu Original Filed Nov. 16, 1936 w J 3L 1,

paw ATTORNEY.

Aug. 22, 1939.

Patented Aug. 22 1939 UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM William H. Frank, Detroit, Mich.

Application November 16, 1936, Serial No. 110,953 Renewed April 9, 1938 11 Claims. (Cl. 191-23).

This application relates to electrical distribution systems of the duct and. trolley type and discloses a system characterized by the fact that the 'trolley is designed to ride .outside of the duct,

with its contacts only entering the duct through narrow. slots thereof to engage the bus bars therein.

The duct hereof is characterized by the fact that it is of relatively small cross sectional area. The outside surfaces thereof form. supporting and thrust surfaces for the trolleys; it is closed throughout its entire periphery except for a plurality of extremely narrow slots therein behind which, inside of the duct, are mounted bus bars, these being engaged by contact rollers of trolleys, which contact rollersare' the only parts of the trolley that dispose themselves even partially within the duct. I

The duct hereof is further characterized by 20 the simplicity of its construction. It comprises nothing more than a flanged U trough of sheet metal to whose flanges are secured two strips of insulation; in the duct is disposed a third strip of insulation extending to and substantially filling 25 the slot between the two first mentioned strim to transform that slot into two extremely narrow slots; to the third strip, on opposite sides thereof, are secured bus bars aligned with the narrow slots between the center strip and each of the I 30 two edge strips of insulation.

The duct hereof is further characterized by the fact that it is completely closed except for narrow slots thereof which provide the only access paths to the bus bars within the duct, whereby these 35 are thus guarded against accidental contact.

For an understanding of the system herein, reference should be had to the appended drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a duct and trolley of the invention 40 in transverse section; I

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary duct detail;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal view of the duct with a trolley therein;

Figs. 4 and 5 show duct splicing means; Figs-6 and 7 show bus coupling means;

Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate alternative arrangements of trolley-parts for permitting removal of trolleys from duct.

- Fig. 10 shows an arrangement of duct parts 50 for permitting removal of trolleys from duct.

The duct The duct comprises a sheet metal casing Ill of unlformcross section disposed in the form of 55 an inverted U and having flanges II to which provided. These comprise are secured insulation strips l2. Within the duct 'is securely mounted a thick and heavy strip ll of insulation arranged to extend to and fill substantially the space between the strips l2 except for two narrow slots IS with which arealined and. registered bus rails l6 secured to the strip 44 by screws as shown. The arrangement provides a substantially closed duct having therein bus rails exposed through extremely narrow slots 1 -of an insulated wall of the duct. 0

The strips I 2 may be secured to the flanges I l of the duct in any suitable manner, as for example by rivets, not shown. Another arrangement is disclosed in Fig. 2 which shows how the flanges l l are bent around the edges of the strips to define longitudinal pockets receiving such edges; the flanges, on opposite sides thereof, are crimped as shown at I! to aid in interlocking the strips I2 to the flanges H.

The duct is made in sections of uniform. length and these may be provided at their ends with notches ill on their top and side surfaces for the reception of tongues IS on the similar surfaces of an inverted U-shaped splice plate '20 which may be utilized to spice the duct sections at their adjacent ends.

For coupling the bus bars where the duct section ends are spliced, suitable couplers may be inverted J-shaped sleeves 2| riveted at 22 to bus bar ends and projecting beyond such ends to define pockets receiving the projecting ends of the bus bars of other sections; and to insure automatic and facile reception of such bus bar ends by straps 2|, such bus bar endsare scarfed as shown at 23 and the straps are flared as shown at 24.

For use with the duct here shown there may be provided a trolley comprising a U-shaped carriage 30 on whose bight are securely mounted insulation blocks 3| containing spring biased metal cups 32 journalling narrow contact rollers 33 adapted to ride on the edges of the bus bars l6 exposed at sots l5 and thus transfer current from such bus bars through the rollers 33 and the metal cups 32 to the load conductors 34 whose terminals are secured to the cups 32.

The legs 3| of the U-shaped carriage have slots receiving side thrust rollers 35 journalled in 'such legs; such legs also support axles 36 on which are mounted supporting rollers 31.

' blocks 3|.

the slots l5 and ride against the lower edges of the bus rails l6.

In order to insure against rollers 33 striking the edges of the slots l5 as a trolley is associated with a duct, guiding formations are provided on the insulation strip ll of the duct and the insutached from a duct or applied thereto at any point of the latter; or, as an alternative, the duct may be formed with openings at suitable intervals, normally closed by movable parts of the duct, whereby trolleys may be removed from the duct or applied thereto through such openings.

Suitable arrangements of the trolleys for this purpose are shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

In the arrangement of Fig. 8 the legs 50 of the U-shaped carriage are shown as hingedly' connected at to the bight 52 of such plate whereby they may be swungon their hinges to open the trolley and thus permit it to be removed from or applied to a duct or closed in to make the trolley non-removable: from or non-applicable to a duct. Suitable spring pressed latches 53 may be pivotally mounted on the bight at 55 to project through slots of the'legs 56 and hook over the edges thereof to latch such legs in closed position. The latches may be manipulated readily to release the legs and permit them to drop and open the trolley. In the arrangement of Fig. 9 the legslili of the U-shaped carriage plate are i also shown as hingedly connected to the bight fiithereof by means of spring hinges 52 which normally bias the legs to their closing position, but which permit the legs to be manipulated and swung to their trolley open position.

In the arrangement'ofFig. 10 the legs H of the U-shaped casing or duct are shown as connected to the bight i2 thereof by means of hinges l3 permitting these legs to be swung open for trolley removal or insertion. The legs are normally in their duct closing position due to the influence of gravity, the load of the trolley on the flanges of the duct, and the thrust of. the trolley against the edges of such flanges; However, if desired, a suitably designed lock may be provided to maintain the legs H in duct closing position and this lock may be made manipulable to permit the legs to be swung to duct opening position. While the embodiment disclosed contains but two bus bars, it ls obvious that more or less than two, as needed, might be used; and that other splicers, hangers, couplers, etc., than those shown might be used as desired; and that the wall which is doubly slotted, as at I5, need notbe of insulation, but might be of metal, if desired, in which case, the trolley contacts might be shielded and insulated, if necessary.

It will further be observed that the insulation strip H of the duct forms a barrier between the bus bars I6 of opposite polarity and that it also forms a barrier between the sparking surfaces within the duct, namely the lower edges of the bus bars, at the time that the rollers 33 are riding along these sparking edges, and that the completion of the barrieris efiected by the cooperation of the block.3l of the trolley which mounts the contacts 33 and also forms a barrier between these contacts.

As shown in Fig. 1,-the disposition of the wedge edge 38 of the insulation strip !4 in the groove 39 of the trolley creates a cooperation between parts is and 3! for barrier completion.

Now having described the trolley and duct system hereof, reference will be had to the claims which follow for a determination of the protection sought herein.

I claim:

1. A trolley duct system comprising a duct having a plurality of parallel longitudinal narrow slots in a single wall thereof and trolley supporting rails external thereof and projecting from the main body of they duct, bus bars within the duct and aligned with the slots, and trolleys outside the duct and having load and thrust rollers outside the duct and riding on the rails thereof; and having contact rollers outside the duct and riding in the slots thereof along the bus bars.

from the main body of the duct, bus bars within the duct and aligned with the slots, and trolleys outside the duct and having load and thrust rollers outside the duct and riding on the rails there- 'of and having contact rollers outside the duct and riding in the slots thereof along the bus bars, the rails being substantially coplanar with the slotted wall.

3. A trolley duct having a plurality of parallel longitudinal narrow slots in a single wall thereof and trolley supporting rails external thereof and projecting from the main body of the duct, bus

4 bars within the duct and alined with. the slots and supported on a wall other than the slotted wall, and trolleys outside the duct and having load and thrust rollers outside the duct and riding on the rails thereof and having contact rollers outside the duct and riding in the slots thereof along the bus bars.

4. A trolley duct comprising a U-shaped trough having its open side substantially closed by three separate parallel longitudinally extending strips separated by two narrow parallel longitudinally extending slots, two of the strips being secured to the ends of the legs of the U and one of the strips being secured to the bight of the U and extending to and disposed in the space between the other two strips, and bus bars on the third strip and. aligned with the slots the duct having trolley supporting rails external thereof and projecting from the main body of the duct.

5. A trolley duct system comprising a duct having a plurality of parallel longitudinal narrow slots in a single wall thereof and trolley supporting rails external thereof and projecting from the main body of the duct, bus bars within the duct and aligned with the slots and supported on a wall other than the slotted wall, and trolleys outside the duct and having load and thrust rollers outside the duct and riding on the rails thereof and having contact rollers outside the duct and riding in the slots thereof along the bus bars, the rails being substantially coplanar with the slotted wail. i

6. A trolleyduct comprising a U-shaped trough having its open side substantially closed by three separate parallel longitudinally extending strips separated by two narrow parallel longitudinally extending slots, two of the strips being secured I 2,170,898 to the ends of the legs of the Ill and one of the strips being secured to the bight of the U and extending to and disposed in the space between the other two strips, and bus bars on the third strip and aligned with the slots, the duct having trolley supporting rails external thereof and projecting from the main body of the duct and formed as flanges of the legs oi the U at their endl. c I

7. A trolley duct system comprising the combination of a slotted duct containing continuous bus tracks .0! different polarity and of an aggregate cross section considerably less than that of the duct and having a plurality of continuous --polarities.

8. A trolley duct comprising a tube having ad- Jacent parallel slots, bus bars within the duct and alined with and exposed through the slots, an insulation strip within the duct and between the bus bars and-isolating them from each other, and a trolley having roller contacts insertable into the duct through the slots for engaging the bus-bars and an insulation block on the trolley between the roller contacts for isolating them from each other, the insulation strip cooperating with the insulation block, when the trolley is in position to ride along the duct, to form a complete barrier between one bus bar and contact set and the other bus bar and contact. set.

9. A trolley duct comprising a tube having adiacent parallel slots, bus bars within the duct and alined with and exposed through the slots, an insulation strip within the duct and between the bus bars and isolating them from each other, and a trolley having roller contacts insertable nt t uct r ughv h slots t su g he tracks and, the trolley having supporting rollers .trolley is in position to ride along the duct, to form a complete barrier between one bus bar bus bars and an insulation block on the trolley between the roller contacts for isolating them from each other, the bus bars and the roller contacts being mounted on the insulation barriers between them, the insulation strip cooperating with the insulation block, when the trolley is in position to ride along theduct, to form a complete barrier between one bus bar and contact set and the pther'bus bar and contact set.

10. A trolley duct comprising a tube having adjacent parallel slots, bus bars within the duct and alined with and exposed through the slots, an insulation strip within the duct and between the bus bars and isolating them from each other, 15

and a trolley having roller contacts insertable into the duct through the slotsv for engaging the bus bars and'an insulation block on the trolley between the roller contacts for isolating them from each other, the insulation strip cooperatingwith theinsulation block, when the trolley is in position to ride along the duct, to form"a complete barrier between one bus bar and contact set and the other bus bar and contact set, the duct externally exposed riding thereon outside the duct.

ll. A-trolley duct comprising a tube having adjacent parallel slots, busbars within the duct and alined withand exposed through the slots, an insulation strip within the duct and between the bus bars and isolating them from each other, and a trolley having roller contacts insertable intothe duct through the slots for engaging the bus bars and an insulation block on the trolley between the roller contacts for isolating them from each other, the bus bars and the roller contacts being mounted on the insulation barriers between them, the insulation strip cooperating with the insulation block. when the and contact set and the other bus bar and con- 

